The Upanishads speak of renunciation as the only path to salvation. Once this is reached, there is no turning back. Every soul is already in this journey. Some strive consciously to travel in this path; some others are not sure and some are not aware of it at all.

The experience of Tiruppanazhwar makes this abstract philosophical statement a tangible one, pointed out Sri Dushyanth Sridhar in a discourse. Though extremely devout, this Azhwar is not able to enter the temple at Srirangam because of his low birth. But the omniscient Lord devises a plan to bring Him to His presence. He makes the temple priest Loka Saranga, who had erred against this Azhwar, carry him on his shoulders and bring him to His presence. The Lord makes it clear that any affront to His devotee would not be tolerated and the contrite priest carries out the Lord’s order. The Azhwar savours the greatness of the Lord’s form from His divine feet to His effulgent face. As a finale to this song of eulogy, the Azhwar states that his eyes that have seen this form do not have any further desire to see anything else.

The epithet ‘Vennai Unda Vayan’ captures child Krishna’s penchant for butter. He would steal it from the households in Ayarpadi and make no secret of it at all. Interpreters see butter as symbolic of the atma that has lost its moorings and stays in the cycle of birth. Out of compassion, the Lord chooses to steal the atma to enable the jivatma to come out of this whirlpool. He has His own ways to steal the hearts of His devotees as He has shown in the case of this Azhwar. Azhwar is overwhelmed by the bliss of contentment that is conferred on him by the compassionate Lord.